Impact of the idea of simple universal language for description of the world and “calculation of thinking” upon emergence of the project of Internet

Abstract

The subject of this research is the idea of simple universal language for description of the world in its relation to the so-called calculative thinking. The idea of simple universal language became one of the core philosophical ideas that led to the emergence of the project of Internet. Most remarkable incarnation of the idea became the Characteristica universalis of Leibniz, intended as a project for clarification of the precise names of things in existence. Development of the project led Leibniz to the work with binary calculation, which is imparted with ontological meaning within the framework of correspondence of the philosopher with the missionary in China – Father Bouvet. The article analyzes the critical perspective upon Leibniz's philosophy as the representative of the new European calculative thinking. Research methodology is based on the correspondence of Leibniz and Father Bouvet, as well as retrospective analysis of evolution of the idea of universal language. The main conclusion consists in the thought that the idea of creation of simple universal language for describing the world through the number of historical interactions strongly affected origination of the Internet. Leibniz brings under deliberation the binary system of calculation, which he considers ontological and reflects the divine harmony of the world. The article also examines the criticism towards calculative new European thinking, formulating a conclusion that the attempt to replace reasoning with calculations and formalization does not always mean leveling things in existence to the state of objects, but rather represents one of the core vectors of thinking of the European man, and is associated with the ideas on the “great chain of existence”, completeness and continuity of all in the world.